The present invention relates in general to mineral mining installations and, more particularly, to apparatus for controlling or adjusting the position of the mineral mining machine movable along guide means.
U.S. Pat. No. 4045089 describes apparatus of the type with which the present invention is concerned. This apparatus takes the form of hydraulic piston and cylinder units coupled between brackets on a conveyor supporting a machine guide and connectors pivotably connected to the conveyor. Elongate beams are then linked to the connectors and are guided on roof supports. Operation of the units causes the conveyor and the guide for the machine to tilt thereby to control the position of a machine, such as a plough, mounted on the guide. During the adjustment, the plough guide pivots with the conveyor about the pivot joints defined between the conveyor and the connectors. The beams serve to guide the associated supports in known manner but also act as jibs in order to support the guide in opposition to the tilting forces. The beams also serve as thrust abutments for the rams associated with the supports.
German patent specification No. 3117401--which corresponds to U.S. Pat. No. 4,492,410--describes another arrangement in which the cylinders of the control units are connected by means of ball-and-socket joints to brackets on the stowage side of the conveyor.
A general object of the invention is to provide an improved apparatus of the aforementioned kind.